







It’s been a wild summer. The wind in early August never quit in the afternoons; we had fluctuating swells and side currents. Lots of sand crab beds and lots of scattered fish. If you found the big crab beds and holding structure, your odds were seriously increased in hooking fish, simply because they would be concentrated in one area, and odds were you would get bit. Corbina are not honest fish; they grab the fly when they feel like it. Maybe you piss them off, and it’s a reaction strike, or perhaps they are thinking it’s a live sand crab and they are hungry? We will never know, but that’s what makes this game one of the most challenging in the surf. Important note: We only post fair-hooked Corbina on this site; everyone fouls fish including us, especially when they are concentrated in groups. It is very easy to accidently run into one with your fly, but they are immediately released sans photo. Don’t believe everything you see on social media!
The best feeling is getting one to eat the fly in the corner of the mouth or sometimes inhaled into the back of their throat. That’s an accomplishment. Something to celebrate with a photo and remember.
There are many outings I don’t catch a Corbina, but I always learn something, and as long as I see fish and can cast to them, I am having a great time. My morning is often made by watching my buddy hook up or seeing a total stranger catch one on the fly, fair. I still think these fish are one of the hardest to catch on a fly, so the skunk or stripe is always going to be part of this game. If you like consistently pulling on fish, this game is not for you. But if you want to become a better angler, one who values patience and determination, this is your game. I can’t get enough of it, I’m a sick man. LOL -Al Q
PS: if the water temps remain in the seventies the next tide cycle we be worth fishing, there is still a good volume of fish in the system. We have been getting a few on the pink merkin \ holy moley flies. good luck!

Fair-caught this bean this morning during that magic window that I often talk about, it was a ½ hour of incoming, tailing fish very close to the wet sand. Text book Corbina 101. The casts were maybe fifty feet. Had the fly on the kitchen table, stripped through a group and one grabbed the pink surfin merkin. It was promptly released after a quick pic, so it can fight another day. – Al Q


“Al, I appreciate you! I was hooked after getting my hands on “The Corbina Diaries”. I caught my first corbina on the fly. Thank you for sharing your passion.” – Sam Triantis
PS: Hats off to Kesley and Scott for taking a group of fly anglers out to the surf in good conditions to show them the corbina game. Take note that Sam’s fish was fair-hooked, (in the mouth) there are many fish showing up on instagram these days that are foul-hooked (me and the Corbina Patrol never take a grin and grip shot of a fouled fish, the fish has to eat the fly! That’s the challenge. ), it easy to foul a fish when they stack up in pods. Believe me, we all foul em, you can’t help it when you’re sight casting to groups. It’s a let down for me when that happens, not a celebration. This is a great accomplishment by Sam. His first fair-caught bean in the surf, it doesn’t get better than that. WTG dude! You have become an honorary member of the Corbina Patrol. – Al Q


Last week’s minus, early morning low tides produced a few nice fish for the boys…the water temps are still a little cool in my opinion, varying around 63 to 65. The next early July new moon tide cycle, is the best Corbina opportunity you will have if you want to land one on a fly especially if the water temps hit the magic 67 plus…it should be wide open with fish crawling all over the place… hope to see some new faces on the beach…tight lines and message me on this board if you have any questions…
-Al Q

My good buddy and “Corbina Whisperer” Jon Nakano will be joining forces with me to help you get that dreaded Corbina tick off your list or perhaps make you a better Corbina fly fisher if you have caught them before. We will be presenting at the Fly Fair at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, both Saturday and Sunday. Jon and I have over forty years combined experience, flyfishing for beans and are willing to share our secrets and experience on the sand with you, so please try not to miss this one, it should be very informative…

The water temps hit the magic mark and the beans are crawling. In the last two days, my buddy Jon Nakano and I landed 8 fish on fly. Four a piece. We each had a few bust off as well. This morning for kicks Jon busted out the spin reel and landed another four within a forty five minute window on live crabs. Pretty sick sight fishing. I have been fishing a slightly different fly pattern than the standard tied surfin merkin I usually fish with confidence. The surfin merkin is wide, they can be trimmed but overall flat in nature. I am making my EP sand crabs a little slender, more of a tear drop shape and taller in profile by stacking the fibers in a hi-tie style and they are getting eaten pretty well, so as they say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, I am staying with it. I got one fish a week ago on a white, the others all on grey and pink. Grey and pink work equally the same, i have no preference. Size 6 hook. Use a thin wire hook to stick em. My advice for beginners is don’t give up, this is a hard game, one if not the toughest in flyfishing. I have been on it for over twenty years and it still drives me crazy. Spend more time walking and looking for groups of fish, they are your best shot, if you haven’t gotten one on fly yet. Make the cast count, anticipate their next move, think like a corbina, watch the nervous water…and try to continue to breath…lol